SOLON — It was a week of “first time’s” for the varsity Lady Spartans on the hardwood. It started with senior Callie Levin putting up the first “triple-double” (three double digit stats) in 25 years of Solon basketball Tuesday night against the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikettes. Solon remained the No. 1-ranked team in Class 3A, and it ended with the first game against Grinnell as the newest member of the WaMaC conference.
Solon 61 Vinton-Shellsburg 20
Last year the Vikettes made it to the Class 3A State Tournament where they fell 51-42 to Benton Community in the semifinals. And the Lady Spartans beat them 65-53 during the regular season.
This year Solon jumped to a 19-6 lead at the end of the first period and were up 26-11at halftime. A 23-point effort, while holding the Vikettes to just three points in the third made it 49-14 going into the final eight minutes.
Mia Stahle led all with 18 points, Levin produced 11, Anna Quillin and Hailey Miller put up ten, Kobi Lietz had an eight-point night, and Delainey Durr and Jerzey Haluska had two points each. Quillin led on the boards with 14 rebounds, Levin had 11 with six from Miller. Levin made ten steals as well.
Solon 56 Grinnell 21
Hailey Miller gave Solon an early 5-0 lead with a game opening three-pointer. Two more threes from Miller hit their mark in the first period as Solon led 21-10. Callie Levin also sank a pair of threes and added two field goals in the quarter. Miller sank two more threes in the second period as the Lady Spartans pulled away to a 44-15 halftime lead. Sophomores Trea Eidahl and Gable Knight saw time on the floor in the closing minutes of the half.
A scoring drought struck early in the third before Miller buried her sixth three-pointer and Mia Stahle scored on a steal for a 51-18 advantage. A basket by Levin made it 55-20 and triggered the 35-point continuous clock. Durr, Jerzey Haluska, Lanei Hinkle, Knight, and Maddyn Gates took over with just under five minutes left to play. Eidahl, Laney Johnson, Hinkle, Knight, and Gates closed out the game.
Miller led all with 21 points including six three-pointers in total, Levin had 18 points followed by seven from Quillin, five by Durr, four by Stahle, and one from Eidahl. Quillin and Levin made seven rebounds each with seven assists by Levin.
Upcoming events
Friday, Dec. 15 – Home vs. Marion, 6:00 p.m. (JV girls/freshmen boys play at 4:30, sophomore boys at 6:00, and frosh-soph girls and varsity boys tip off at 7:15).
Tuesday, Dec. 19 – At CPU, 6:00 p.m. (JV girls/soph boys at 4:30, frosh boys at 6:00, frosh-soph girls and varsity boys at 7:00)
Thursday, Dec. 21 – Home vs. Mid-Prairie, 6:00 p.m. (JV girls/freshmen boys play at 4:30, sophomore boys at 6:00, and frosh-soph girls and varsity boys tip off at 7:15).
WaMaC East standings
Conference Overall
Solon 3-0 6-0
Mount Veron 2-0 5-0
West Delaware 2-1 2-3
Center Point-Urbana 1-3 1-4
Marion 0-0 6-1
Independence 0-3 2-4
Callie Levin (23) goes up for two under pressure from a pair of Grinnell Tigers Friday, Dec. 8 during a varsity girl/boy doubleheader. Levin had an 18-point night in a 56-21 win.